This invention relates to fluid test devices, and more particularly to test devices for testing biological fluids or the like for the presence of a diagnostic reagent.
Test procedures for assaying biological fluids using the specific reactivity of antibody-antigen pairs, enzyme-substrate pairs, and the like are known and are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,770,380; 3,839,153; 3,951,748; 4,002,532. Commonly, the co-reactant is fixed or immobilized to the surface of a support and the liquid sample containing or suspected of containing the reagent is brought into contact therewith and allowed to react, the presence of specific reaction product being monitored to infer the presence of reagent in the sample. For biological liquids such as serum, urine, CSF, peritoneal exudates, or the like, E.L.I.S.A. (enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay), R.I.A. (radio immuno assay), or similar monitoring procedures may be used.
Microporous membranes provide a particularly desirable immobilizing support or carrier for biologically active materials and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,512. Test procedures using such supports are described in copending U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 751,093, abandoned, and 751,099, abandoned, respectively filed on Nov. 10, 1976 and Dec. 16, 1976. The disclosures of these references are herein incorporated by reference.
While these and other similar test procedures are known, considerable skill, equipment and time are often required in execution. A need therefore exists for a simple test device in which the tests can be conveniently and rapidly performed at any suitable location.